Best way to announce retirement

[Kelor]

In a few days, I'm pulling the trigger and announcing a March 3 retirement date

The company I work for is still relatively small, so I'd like to do this correctly. I also have used my personal phone number for work ever since I can remember, so I have two questions.

1) What should the email say regarding my upcoming March 3 retirement date?
2) What should my voice mail say to convince people to not call me regarding work? I'm hoping the answer isn't to get a new number.

 

[pacergal]

When I retired, my management team knew the date first, then
1) general email to office simply stated the date of my last day at work, and a few sentences noting what I enjoyed/liked about the work environment and people
2) time to get a new personal phone number? If they have access to you, they will call. I know that one personally!

 

[W2R]

In a few days, I'm pulling the trigger and announcing a March 3 retirement date

The company I work for is still relatively small, so I'd like to do this correctly. I also have used my personal phone number for work ever since I can remember, so I have two questions.

1) What should the email say regarding my upcoming March 3 retirement date?
2) What should my voice mail say to convince people to not call me regarding work? I'm hoping the answer isn't to get a new number.

I worked at a federal government agency, so it was not a small company. But I thought I'd weigh in anyway.

As for announcing my retirement, I told my supervisor, the people in HR that needed to know, plus only 1-2 of my closest friends at work. Before the end of the week it spread to everyone in the agency.

Then the day I retired I sent an e-mail to everyone I ever interacted with on work matters, both at work and outside the agency, telling them that I was retiring, how much I appreciated working with them all those years, and listing the e-mail and work phone number of my supervisor as their contact from then on. Since many seemed worried that I could never adjust to retirement, I listed a few things that I would probably be doing in retirement (growing roses, spending time with family, and so on). I never actually DID those things but it helped to keep people from worrying about me. I also mentioned that I was healthy, to squash any health rumors before they got started.

On my phone, I put a voicemail stating that I had retired and to contact my supervisor instead, and giving her work phone number. In your case you should probably also state firmly that you are not to be involved in work matters any longer and who to contact instead of you. Or, like pacergal suggested, get a new phone number!

 

[Scratchy]

2) What should my voice mail say to convince people to not call me regarding work? I'm hoping the answer isn't to get a new number.

Congratulations on your retirement!

Regarding the phone not an issue, just don't reply to the messages. The calls will stop quickly.

 

[Badger]

So you are retiring.
I made the announcement verbally to the Dean of my department and followed it up with a letter that copied everyone from that level upward. Then I told my colleagues even though they already had a good idea by then. Not a difficult thing to do.


Cheers!

 

[target2019]

My email said:
I've decided to terminate employment with <Company_Name> as of <Date>.
Thank you.

 

[jollystomper]

2) What should my voice mail say to convince people to not call me regarding work? I'm hoping the answer isn't to get a new number.

It does not matter. There will always be a few "before you go, is there anyway you can...?" messages. You do not need to return them. My approach was to return the call, explain I could not help,l and pass them onto either my backup or, if no backup, my management (who had been forewarned I would do this).

My management knew for months. For folks I was directly working on projects with, I let them know (if they had not figured it out already) in person or via phone about 6 weeks before. Only my work anniversary date, which was a couple of weeks before I retired, I sent out an email notice to my list of contacts.

Whatever you decide, it will be fine. Congrats on the retirement, welcome to the club!

 

[DenverGuy42]

2) What should my voice mail say to convince people to not call me regarding work? I'm hoping the answer isn't to get a new number.

If you use an android phone - this is what I did.

I turned on "do not disturb" in settings. I set up an exception in that setting that said "calls from 'Favorite contacts only'"

I then starred (favorited) my contacts I wanted to have my phone ring for - my wife, kids, doctor office, etc.

Now, whenever someone calls that is not a starred contact, my phone doesn't ring. If they leave a message, I'll get to it when I get to it. If they don't leave a message, I assume it is spam and block the number

works great. And make sure to not reply to any work related voice mails too quickly, wait a while - so they don't get to expect immediate responses.

 

[Nemo2]

"See Ya" is always a good default position - after all, it's not as if anyone's going to remember who you were after a couple weeks.

 

[MuirWannabe]

“Best way to announce retirement?”.........As soon as possible

 

[cathy63]

Congrats on your upcoming retirement!

Tell your manager first. Do it in a conversation; in person if possible, by phone if not. Resigning by email should be an absolute last resort for when you cannot find anyone above you in the hierarchy to have a conversation with.

Ask if they need it in writing, some places do, some don't. If they do, then you just email something like "Dear Manager, As we discussed, I will be leaving my job on March 3, 2020 to begin my retirement. I've enjoyed my time working here and wish Company Name all the best. Sincerely, Kelor" Try to make the subject line something like "Resignation: Kelor" just so it's obvious to anyone your manager forwards it to.

Also ask your manager if it's o.k. to communicate the news to your coworkers immediately or if you should wait until the next day. Sometimes it's helpful for the manager to have a little bit of time to talk strategy with his boss before getting inundated with your concerned coworkers, and it's a reasonable request; but do set a deadline or he might never give the o.k. and then you end up telling your coworkers at the last minute, or worse, never telling them directly.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

The absolute best way to announce it requires that you work on a flight crew; you pull the emergency evacuation slide lever, and jump out the door...
But seriously, thoroughly document procedures and such for everything you do, meet with people to go over those procedures and keep them up to date on the status of things right before you go, and you should minimize the number of calls you get.

Note I said "should" and "minimize", not "will" and "eliminate".
Other than that, I like DenverGuy's suggestion, or if that's not doable, just screen all your calls and, if someone comes up with a legitimate question that you didn't cover, get back to them....in a day or two.

 

[Starsky]

The best way is to look in the mirror and say..."I'm retiring" As for the rest, once you're not there, nobody else cares much - other than filling your shoes. Just leave quietly like any other departing employee, change your VM and Linkedin, and only explain when asked. If you've worked there a while, the word will spread. They might even throw you a retirement party, but that's their decision. The world will figure it out and move on.

 

[ckelly78z]

As far as the phone goes, just state in your goodbye email, that I am keeping the same phone # but will be screening calls.

The email should be short and sweet " I will be working my last day on ____ before retirement. I appreciate all the folks who helped me along the way, but look forward to starting a new lifestyle".

 

[statsman]

In my case, the opportunity to announce my retirement was never there. I was laid off from my 30+ year career with the company, who had been in perpetual layoff mode for several years prior to my layoff. The company layoffs would continue for a few more years. Work in the defense contractor industry had been collapsing in Silicon Valley since the mid 2000s, and pretty much evaporated by the mid 2010s.

 

[Midpack]

Congratulations on your retirement!

Regarding the phone not an issue, just don't reply to the messages. The calls will stop quickly.

As far as the phone goes, just state in your goodbye email, that I am keeping the same phone # but will be screening calls.

The email should be short and sweet " I will be working my last day on ____ before retirement. I appreciate all the folks who helped me along the way, but look forward to starting a new lifestyle".

I assume you have caller ID. Just answer the ones you want to talk to, and ignore former customers/co-workers. Most people I know only answer calls they recognize and want to talk with anyway. Anyone you don’t know who you want to talk with will leave a message if needed. Easy peasy.

And congrats on your retirement!

 

[GalaxyBoy]

"So long, suckers!"

But seriously, (and I'm not sure this is what you had in mind, but I'll say this anyway) I never thought the long, drawn out email to the entire staff was really necessary. As Nemo said, once gone you will be quickly forgotten, and will forget.

As far as informing one's superiors, verbally at first then a short, simple and to the point "My last day will be ...."

 

[Dash man]

I gave three months notice via email to my manager, copying his boss+2, and HR. I also copied my internal customer’s management. I offered to help train a replacement if one was selected in time (which happened, to my surprise). I also outlined my plan for three weeks vacation I was planning to use before I left. I telecommuted from home and had a second work number that was turned off on my last day. A few folks I knew wouldn’t abuse having my personal cell number knew they could contact me if needed, but only did for keeping in touch. If my vacation requests were not approved, I would have just left, but I didn’t tell them that as an ultimatum. Everything went well. They had a nice luncheon before my last day. My first pension check hit my account the day after I was done. Life is good!

 

[mystang52]

In a few days, I'm pulling the trigger and announcing a March 3 retirement date

The company I work for is still relatively small, so I'd like to do this correctly. I also have used my personal phone number for work ever since I can remember, so I have two questions.

1) What should the email say regarding my upcoming March 3 retirement date?
2) What should my voice mail say to convince people to not call me regarding work? I'm hoping the answer isn't to get a new number.

Short and sweet. I wrote something like this: "This is my formal notice of resignation effective close of business March 1, 2013. I decided this is the time to retire and enjoy my next stage of life." Or something like that. I had a good relationship with my boss, so as soon as I hit the "Send" button I hightailed across the office floor to his office to discuss. I also gave just 2 weeks notice.

 

[badatmath]

I have to fill out an online form no email required or desired.

 

[Kelor]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I have also prepared an email to my clients per a suggestion from a friend. I will send that out after approval from the office.

I'm really intrigued with that dnd on the android. Apple has to have something similar I hope.

 

[davebarnes]

Ghost.
Just pretend you are a Millennial and just don’t come in.

 

[mh]

Ghost.
Just pretend you are a Millennial and just don’t come in.

Day one:

Millennial one: where’s [insert your name here] ?
Millennial two: Oh no! We must be getting a taste of our own medicine!

Day two:

Millennial one: where’s [Insert your name here] ?
Millennial two: who ?

 

[Kelor]

I did it! I pulled the trigger, and the announcement went out to the company an hour ago. I have just put my phone on DND, so I can have a small break!

 

[W2R]

I did it! I pulled the trigger, and the announcement went out to the company an hour ago. I have just put my phone on DND, so I can have a small break!

Congratulations on making that momentous announcement to the company!